Return to Pointer View home page August 26,  2005

BRAC votes to close Fort Monmouth

Prep School one step closer to moving to USMA

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON -- The Base Realignment and Closure Commission generally supported the Defense Department’s recommendations Wednesday as the panel began its final four days of deliberations. However, commission members voted down proposals to close a submarine base, a shipyard and an Army depot.

The panel met in Arlington, Va., to begin voting on DOD’s proposal to reshape the military infrastructure and eliminate excess by closing 33 major bases and realigning 29 others. Officials emphasized that the votes are not considered final until the commission finishes its deliberations Saturday.

While supporting most of the proposals Wednesday, the commission voted against those to close Submarine Base New London, Conn., and Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Maine and agreed to realign rather than close Red River Army Depot, Texas.

Commission members supported the proposed closure of Fort Monmouth, N.J., but only with the stipulation that there’s no degradation in programs and initiatives or interruption of operations that support warfighters in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The U.S. Military Academy Preparatory School is currently located at Fort Monmouth, N.J.

Fort Monmouth’s closure would cause the USMAPS to move to West Point. The move would bring an estimated 226 Soldiers, 202 of which are the yearly class of Prep School Cadet Candidates, and 38 civilian staff to West Point.

“If these recommendations are accepted by the president and Congress later this year, USMAPs should move to West Point,” said West Point Public Affairs Officer Lt. Col. Kent Cassella. “For now, we are continuing to identify our requirements and evaluate our options to accommodate such a move.”

The move could cost as much as $25.3 million, according to the commission report.

They rejected a proposal to relocate the Night Vision Lab from Fort Belvoir, Va., to Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md., where most of Fort Monmouth’s assets are slated to move under the plan.

The panel also approved the closure of four other major Army installations: Fort Gillem and Fort McPherson, in Georgia; Fort Monroe, Va.; and the U.S. Army Garrison in Selfridge, Mich.

The commission also agreed to close almost 400 Army Reserve and Army National Guard facilities and to create joint centers in their place.

After its final vote this weekend, the panel will send its final report to President Bush by Sept. 8. The president, if he concurs, will send the final list to Congress, which can accept or reject it in its entirety, but not change it.

Wednesday’s session follows months of hearings around the country regarding DOD’s plan that defense officials say will save some $49 billion over the next 20 years.